1990-1995 Mercedes-Benz 300/E-Class - Consumer Guide Automotive

Category	Mercedes-Benz E320 Rating (See All Ratings)

Performance	5

Fuel Economy	3

Ride Quality	7

Steering/Handling/Braking	6

Quietness	6

Controls/Materials	6

Interior Room	6

Room/Comfort (rear)	4

Cargo Capacity	4

Value within Class	5

Total Score:	52

Ratings: Maximum 10 points per category

Chart: One rating chart provided for a representative model

1990-1995 MERCEDES-BENZ 300/E-CLASS BUYING RESOURCES

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1990-1995 Mercedes-Benz 300/E-Class Review

Mercedes-Benz's midsize lineup in 1990 consisted of a 300CE coupe, 260E and 300E 4-door sedans, and a 300TE 4-door station wagon. The 260E sedan used a 158-horsepower, 2.6-liter 6-cylinder engine. A new 217-horsepower, 3.0-liter inline six with dual camshafts went into this year's 300CE coupe. Other models got a single-cam 3.0-liter inline six, rated at 177 horsepower. A turbocharged 5-cylinder diesel engine arrived in spring 1990, in the 250D sedan. Automatic full-time 4-wheel drive appeared for the 300E sedan and 300TE wagon. All models got a new fuel-injection system this year. All models had a driver-side airbag, and a passenger-sized airbag was optional. Antilock braking was standard across the board.

Year to Year Changes

1991 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Two traction improvements arrived for 1991. ASR, Mercedes' traction-control system, became optional on the rear-drive 300E sedan, 300CE coupe, and 300TE wagon. ASD, an automatic locking differential, could be installed on the 300D 2.5 Turbo (a diesel-powered sedan).

1992 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Two new models arrived, holding V8 engines. The 400E borrowed its twin-cam 4.2-liter V8 from the bigger S-Class, making 268 horsepower in this installation. A high-performance, limited-edition 500E sedan also went on sale with the same 5.0-liter V8 used in the Mercedes 500SL. A passenger-side airbag was standard on the 400E and 500E, optional on others.

1993 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: A convertible and two new engines arrived for 1993. The lineup now consisted of the 300D 2.5 Turbo; a 300E 2.8 sedan with a new 2.8-liter twin-cam engine; 300E sedan; 300CE coupe; 300TE wagon; and 300CE Cabriolet with a new 3.2-liter 6-cylinder engine. Rounding out the line were the 400E and limited-edition 500E, with V8 power. All models now had dual airbags.

1994 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Mercedes renamed its midsized models E-Class this year, simplifying and condensing the lineup. Models now included an E320 in all four body styles, plus E420 and E520 sedans with V8 engines. Grilles, hoods, headlights assembles, trunklids, and taillamps were restyled. 4Matic models were gone. A 300D sedan arrived in spring of 1994, as an early '95 model, with a new 134-horsepower 3.0-liter diesel 6- cylinder engine.

1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Only a handful of equipment changes marked the 1995 models, as Mercedes-Benz proceeded with the introduction of a redesigned E-Class for '96. The limited-production, high-performance E500 sedan, with a 5.0-liter V8, was dropped.

1990-1995 Mercedes-Benz 300/E-Class Road Test >

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